Royal Crown Derby Staff List 9th June 1947

`To celebrate Harold Robinson's 70th Birthday the staff produced a presentation book which included the signatures of the 267 strong workforce. It provides a unique snapshot of the personnel and their activities at the time and has never been published before.

This photograph of Harold Robinson was included in the presentation book and was taken by local photographer Pat Laurie. 124 Osmaston Road, Derby.

The numbers alongside the signatures refer to the Index page which lists the various departments.

You can search the list below using the Ctrl F function.

Burnishers

Enamellers

B Bown

K Beale

P Collinson

K O Bellian

B Consterdine

C J Bennett

Doris E Consterdine

P Blurton

R Dunmore

B J Brown

E M Dunne

P Burton

B Garnham

M Day

N Gotham

Doris Gaskin

P Gregson

B Heath

B Holmes

S Henson

O Holmes

J P Humber

A Ison

B A Hunt

H James

J Johnson

G Lowe

P Kitching

H Lyons

E Lomas

C Machin

S Meyer

M A Manning

Joan Midgley

Chief Enameller

M Murray

F Nichols

J Osborne

L Parkes

G Parker

K Pountain

M Reeves

D M Perry

H Riley

M M Turner

K E Roberts

M Vowles

D Saskin

H Whitehead

G M Sherry

J Wilde

Miss Clara Smart

N Wisher

E M Wall

C J Wood

M Wheeldon

B Woodward

J Woodward

Glost Warehouse

Biscuit Warehouse

H Blantoby

A Bullock

D Gell

A Dakin

G M Minor

B Elton

A Nixon

F A Harrison

J Poster

Frank A McMahon

D Slater

R Pykett

Glost Printers

Biscuit Printers

E L Braine

A Bale

Walter Brough

J M Barker

B Burlinson

Frank Cartlidge

Husband of Canteen Lady

E J Clarke

M Johnson

N Cull

B E Kirkland

L Margett

H Marriott

J M Ortoby

M Marshall

J Saunders

U Osborne

B Sharpe

R Russell

B Whittingham

J Russell

D E Walton

Bluers

Packers

R F Fellyman

Harry L Busby

M Harrison

David Leigh

Kiln

Staff

Stan Chapman

Tom Allman

Works Manager

Mrs L Dolman

Joyce Grocutt

John T Finney

Eileen Mary Jones

E L Fletcher

Colin F Osborne

Fred Gerrard

Edward (Ted) Peake

Company Secretary

C M Lee

J Price

Arthur Mee

Edith Dorothy Rawlings

Mrs E A Read

Eric James Robinson

F Walker

Phillip Ivor Robinson

Ken Watson

Mr Lawrence Taylor

Miss Norma Thornhill

Mould Makers

Biscuit Ovens

L Goodall

F Chell

E Harding

Jim E Hallam

D Horsley

W Walklate

G B Ratcliffe

Charlie Warrilow

Thomas Wilkinson

Gold Grinders

Canteen

J Mead

Mrs C Cartlidge

Mrs E Stevenson

E Richardson

Biscuit Stampers

Painters

N Cooper

B Elston

J Ellis

J Horwich

E Simms

William E Mosley

G Stocks

J Scott

Charlie Woodhall

Flower Makers

Glost Ovens

I Colder

W D Beattie

D Cordon

R Critchley

M Gallimore

Fred Emery

E M Page

W Milner

I M Wells

Men Gilders

Dipping House

W H Cole

E Edwards

Albert J Haddock

J D Willis

V Woolhouse

J T Wood

Lithographers

Groundlayers

J Brooks

D Benton

J Collumbell

J Chambers

B Garton

J Gadsby

Jean Humphreys

J Garratt

L P Walker

Miss Lois J Hamnett

Muriel Walker

M Moreton

G Whitticase

V Smith

M Wilson

Engravers

Saggar Makers

Harry Short

Trade union representative

E Clowes

W J Williams

R P Port

Mill

Lodge

Edward (Ted) Pountain

J Atkins

Jim Crossley

Casters

Plate Makers

R Barsby

C W Bailey

A F Betesta

R W Barks

A Collinson

L A Bentley

Fred Ellis

A M Day

T A Evans

Albert Deakin

M Farmer

P Firmin

K Hackfield

W R Fisher

David Harrison

N Gadsby

S E Harrison

B Harrison

D W Hawley

A Owen

A Hill

L Rooney

Thomas J Kirk

D Sammonds

J Lymer

Peter Simpson

Harold Morton

E Northwood

R Patton

N Schofield

Arthur Usher

F D Vickers

W J Ward

Best Warehouse

P Buxton

D Crooks

Fred T Finney

Emily Gibbons

Selector

G I Hill

A B Leigh

C Nixon

A Winson

H W Woodhouse

Women Gilders A-H

Women Gilders J-Z

M Archer

Pauline Jackson

Joy Bacon

A H Jones

Betty H Bailey

B King

Betty Brown

Betty Lakin

B A Burt

J Lane

M Cauldwell

J Margett

J Chambers

W Milner

J Chapman

Margaret Newbold

Constance Clark later Davis

M Owen

M Edwards

Mary Oxley

D M Ellis

E J Sargeant

Kathleen Fogg

P Shelly

Miss Emma Foster

P Sherwood

P Frearson

G Spencer

M E Gibbs

J Stephens

Betty Harris

Dorothy Sutherland

L Harris

P G Vasey

J Hempstock

Olive Watson

W R Hoey

Violet Webster Later Wright

S Holmes

B M White

L M Winterson

Polishers

Maintenance

Eric J Lowndes

B Frost

J Ratcliffe

Charles (Charlie) Jarvis

J Ravenscroft

H Noone

A Stevenson

C Woodall

L Warner

Some of the signatures are difficult to read, and inevitably therefore I will have made some errors of interpretation.

The large number of gilders, enamellers and burnishers does suggest a much higher level of activity than has been reported in previous accounts.

It is interesting to note the relatively short list of painters. It would appear that Hague, Gresley, Dean and Birbeck were mostly employed on a freelance basis, often working at home, and were not therefore regarded as "staff". Furthermore from all accounts it would seem that when they were at the factory they were regarded "as very much a law unto themselves".

If anyone has further information which they would like to be included please let me know via the contact page. I would like to add photographs of staff members in the "Archive Photographs" page as and when these are made available. If you can assist in this respect please let me know.

Mr H T Gittoes

Director

Mrs Walker

Lithographers

Mr E. C. Peake

Secretary

Mrs Midgley

Enamellers

Mr C F Osborne

Sales Manager

Miss Smart

Burnishers

Mr J Hallam

Clay Manager

Miss Foster

Gilders

Mr L Jerram

Decorating Manager

Miss Gerrard

Mr F McMahon

Departmental Manager

Mr J Atkins

Lodge

Mr A Nixon

Departmental Manager

Mrs Morton

Mr A Leigh

Departmental Manager

Mr A Askey

Driver

Mr A Finney

Departmental Manager

Mr H Short

Engraver

Mrs Tomlinson

Office Staff

Mr W Brough

Glost Printers

Miss E Howitt

Office Staff

Mr C Jarvis

Maintenance

Miss I Betts

Office Staff

Mr H Noon

Maintenance

Miss L Hillman

Office Staff

Mr A Haddock

Gilder

Mr T Wilkinson

Mould Makers

Mr H Busby

Packer

Mr D Harrison

Caster

Mr W Colley

Mr G Warner

Miss Gibbons

Best Warehouse

Mr R Critchley

Glost Ovens

Miss Consterdine

Burnishers

Mr J Ravenscroft

Polishers

Mrs Marshall

Biscuit Printers

Mr A Harrison

Biscuit Warehouse

Mrs Braine

Glost Printers

Miss F Hamnett

Groundlayers

The above list is taken from the report of Harold Robinson's death which appeared in the Derby Evening Telegraph on Saturday 24th January 1953. Over 100 employees attended the service, and 39 names were recorded in the paper. I have listed the department where known.

B Bentley

1947 - 1987

C Komaniki

1966 - 1971

S Kimsey

1947 - Present

M Waldon

1968 - 1970

J Gould

1948 - 1960

S Beardsall

1969 - 1972

Mr H.C.G. Jacob

1951 - 1959

K Wood

1969 - 1980

Mr W.G. Jacob

1952 - 1956

L Brown

1970 - 1973

J Griffiths

1955 - Present

P Hardy

1970 - 1975

M Townsend

1957 - Present

L Payne (née Hilliard)

1970 - 1979

J Kimsey (née Brown)

1958 - 1970

H Dudley (née Prince)

1970 - 1981

B Riley

1960 - 1964

Y Harper (née Brearly, later Freestone)

1970 - 1981

J Doyle

1960 – 1968 ?

L Purdy

1971 - 1976

M Mason

1961 - 1969

V Akers

1971 - 1979

Mr T Bramfitt

1962 - 1964

J Wilcockson

1971 - 1980

L Tristram

1962 - 1967

C Windridge

1972 - Present

C Jackson

1962 - 1971

J Aston (née Taylor)

1973 - Present

P Webb

1963 - 1970

S Whitbread (née Tivey)

1974 - 1981

L Johnson

1965 - 1970 ?

J Roome

1976 - Present

Catherine Mary Pell

1965 - 1970

L Holmes

S Scott

1965 - 1972

The list above is taken from the revised edition of Royal Crown Derby by Twitchett and Bailey and appears under Appendix IV "Enamellers employed since the Second world War" it was supplied by Brenda "Pip" Bentley and from this it would seem likely that the actual staff factory records have not survived. I have included it as it is such a useful reference. "Present" refers to the date of publication of the revised edition - i.e. 1988. In the post war period enamellers were permitted to sign their own work and the names above will therefore appear on pieces, especially figurines.

I have amended the list slightly as the entry for V Akers was duplicated. I am aware of some omissions - e.g. Joyce Broughton is not included and in a previous article in "Bygones" I note that Betty Johnson was "Posy painting" from 1948-1953 and then returned to the factory later. I hope to be able to revise and add to the list as more information becomes available.

Brenda Middleton has kindly supplied the following names which date from about 1957.